


it takes two

by RainbowBooze



Category: VALORANT (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:28:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24621628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowBooze/pseuds/RainbowBooze
Summary: It was a small start, but it was something that they both would take greedily. When two agents finally talk to each other about their feelings as friends and then as lovers.Three part fic that encompasses the coworker portion of their relationship, the friendship portion of their relationship, and their love.
Relationships: Jett/Sage (VALORANT)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 92





	it takes two

Valorant Protocal reviewed every Radiant thoroughly. Every agent was put through a rigorous training course after they made it through the initial screening process, confirming and testing their abilities.

Jett scowled as she stamped down the flame by her feet. Phoenix had whizzed by her earlier, leaving her a fiery parting gift and a playful grin. She huffed before dashing after him, meeting him at the range. She opened her mouth to speak at the entrance to the range but clenched her jaw at the sight of Sage and Sova. 

“Good morning, Jett,” Sage greeted, eyes flickering towards the duelist. “Phoenix is on the far side. He just ran there.”

“Thanks,” Jett mumbled, rolling her eyes when Sage arched an eyebrow. It didn’t seem condescending, as Sage always wore a calm and kind expression. “Good morning.”

A small smile spread on Sage’s lips and she waved her goodbye as Jett ran off. Jett could feel the heat rising up her neck as she made her way to Phoenix as quickly as possible.

“Dickhead,” she cursed as she came up to the fiery Brit. “You knew exactly what you were doing.”

“You have to admit I’m good at what I’m doing,” he laughed out.

“I don’t want to talk to her too much. She’s like--she feels uptight but not.”

Phoenix rolled his eyes and played with a fireball in his hand. Jett flicked a gust of wind into his fireball and watched him roll his eyes as he punched her shoulder. She smiled and patted his back as he walked by her. There was no animosity towards them. He was her favorite sparring partner and she was an easygoing personality in an organization where everyone seems to be a bit tense. 

“I wouldn’t say that she’s the one feeling tight.” He dodged a blow and laughed. “Oh come on, you know she’s a beauty.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty. No one is going to deny that, but what does that have to do with anything?” Jett saw a playful flint in Phoenix’s eyes and she frowned. “Don’t tell me you want to hit it?”

“Well maybe--and why do you look so dejected from that idea?” He laughed and leaned against one of the standing crates. “No, I’m just wondering why you dislike her so much. She’s one of our sentinels, you know how many times she’s healed you after you dove in recklessly?”

“I’m not saying she’s bad at her job, but what else is interesting about her other than the fact that she heals well and is good with a gun?”

“I’d say that’s reason enough.”

Jett sighed and brushed her bangs out of her eyes, shaking her head and starting her walk back to base for breakfast. Phoenix booed but followed her back, most likely feeling the hunger hit after running across the base. 

Valorant Protocol was not something Jett had expected to come from the First Light, but she wouldn’t say she’s disappointed. The first day she had learned about her own abilities, it was because she had dashed across a green light in the city to catch a ball for some kids. She wasn’t sure if her life had changed for the better that day, but she didn’t complain about the abilities she had now. Radiants were rare and some days she wasn’t sure if she was the right person to have these powers.

“Sorry for rushing by you two.” Phoenix waved and Jett glanced at Sage and Sova once more. “Good morning to the both of you.”

“Good morning Phoenix,” Sage kindly greeted, a smile directed at him. “Someone has to drag Jett out of bed in the morning, so at least it is you.”

“Yes, it seems that your rowdiness is the only one that matches hers,” Sova wittily added. “Good morning.”

“What’s the point of waking up early? I end up making it to all the meetings and training sessions anyway,” Jett grumbled, looking ahead.

She hadn’t noticed but Sage was now walking almost silently next to her, the talking pair now having joined Phoenix and Jett’s walk to the mess hall. When she huffed and went to shake her bangs out of the way, she jumped at the sight of Sage, who tilted her head and smiled serenely.

“God,” Jett mumbled.

“I hear Cypher will be joining us on our mission today,” Sova commented. “Have we decided on a spike carrier yet?”

“It’ll most likely be our skirmisher-duelist here,” Phoenix nudged at Jett. “Up to us to keep her from hurting herself too much, yeah?”

“Perhaps you should depend on us more,” Sage said and Jett furrowed her eyebrows. “We are your teammates after all.”

“You guys act like I rush in to get killed."

“Do you not?” Sova amusedly asked and Jett’s lips pulled back, thinning as she avoided eye contact with everyone. “Either way, I think we should give it to Phoenix today. You worked very hard on the last mission.”

“Thanks,” she muttered, falling silent for the rest of the walk.

She really was not sure if she was the best choice to become a Radiant.

* * *

Sage watched the younger woman prep her gun discreetly, noticing the gloominess to everything Jett did. It was a very drastic change to earlier this morning, when she was brash and excited. Phoenix talked to her as usual and Sova was busy talking to Cypher about the intelligence system for the mission. No one else had seemed to notice that Jett was under the weather except for Sage, and while the monk already had a knack for that as a healer, Jett was good at hiding her feelings--something that Sage learned after the first time Jett collapsed under her watch. 

Sage’s lips pressed together thinly and she looked away, keen to not think about that incident. The girl required a twenty four hour watch for a day before Sage was comfortable enough to leave to get her own rest. She willed the smell of iron away from her mind as she put her guns down safely in the plane. 

“Sage,” Phoenix called out, a smile on his lips as he waved her over. “Jett’s arm has been feeling sore for a while. Can you come check it out real quick?”

Sage looked at the two duelists with an arched eyebrow and spotted the flushed and sheepish face from Jett, who punched Phoenix’s shoulder a bit harder than usual. She walked over and gave Jett a stern look and to her dismay, Jett gave her a stubborn stare.

“I’m fine, it can wait until after we come back. It’s just probably sore from the new gun I’m using. Different weight and recoil.” Jett flexed her arm, showing Sage that nothing was injured on the exterior. 

“Are you positive, Jett?” Sage reached out to Jett’s arm and squeezed her bicep innocently, although a part of her was admiring that for such a slim girl, she was toned very well--as expected in this field, but still a pleasant discovery. Her tattoo was shimmering and Sage had to tear her eyes away from it before she was entranced by the flowing blue and white.

Jett cleared her throat and nodded, letting Sage prod and feel around her arm. “Yeah, seriously. It’s like that soreness you get when you like… I don’t know how to explain it actually…”

Sage laughed quietly and let go of Jett’s arm, shaking her head before her expression turned serious. “I’ll let you off until after the mission. I want to examine you after to make sure that you’re fine. I’m not going to have you get hurt under my watch again.” She spotted the wince from Jett and Phoenix’s frown, but squeezed Jett’s shoulder. 

“I won’t even resist,” Jett weakly joked.

“I’d hope not,” Sage smiled a bit sadly before turning on her heel. “Let’s get ready to board the plane, yes?”

She did not wait for an answer as she entered the plane with her jaw clenched, looking down at her hands. She took a deep breath and before letting it out in a sigh. Although she knew that she couldn’t possibly save everyone from the wounds they received, she still tried her hardest to. She had managed to heal all of her allies with their cooperation, but with the arrival of Jett, she felt a bit more stubborn. The younger woman was hard headed and had a bit of a pride problem, and it led to them clashing with each other over the health of Jett. 

“I’m sorry.”

Sage looked up and her eyes met Jett’s. She tilted her head and smiled reassuringly, patting at the seat next to her. 

“What for, Jett?” Jett sat down and Sage waited as the duelist wracked her brain for something to say. It was endearing--Jett never really went into things with everything planned out, but there was enough to get her in and out. To see the young woman ponder so deeply in front of her… Sage smiled adoringly.

“I know you’re not… Belittling me. I just--it’s hard to like,” Jett groaned. “It’s hard to come to you and ask for help. I don’t know, I can’t really bring myself to do it. I’m sorry for making your job harder, you know? You’ve only really ever helped me.” 

Sage shook her head. “I understand--but it’s not just my job. I do care for your wellbeing. We are not as close as you are with Phoenix, but I don’t feel like we are strangers.”

“I feel more like a kid that you have to babysit than a Valorant agent that you’re fighting side by side with,” Jett mumbled and Sage frowned.

“I do not feel that way at all, and I’m sorry if I did anything to give you that idea.” Sage nudged Jett’s shoulder with her own, seeing a small smile on her face. “I hope we become closer. Not just for better team synchronization, but also because I’d like to be your friend.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.” Jett smiled a bit brighter and nudged Sage’s shoulder back. “So can I stay in this spot when we take off?”

Sage snickered and nodded. “Only if you like to listen to this poor woman’s ramblings.”

And though it took some time to reach out to Jett, she was glad that it had happened.

* * *

“Hey,” Jett knocked on the door to the small room where Sage did her examinations. It was more than well-stocked, but as Sage was only one person, only one person was really allowed to be examined at a time. 

Jett saw Sage look up, strands of hair falling from behind her ears. Sage had her hair down, something Jett saw only when she was not doing work. She almost felt bad as Sage smiled and beckoned her in, tying her hair up once more. 

“Please, take a seat. While you’re here, I’ll just do your weekly physical as well--is that alright?” Sage glanced back and Jett nodded as she sat on the examination table. “Give me just a moment to get some information up.”

As Sage pulled up the medical history of Jett, the younger woman took a moment to take in the image of the sentinel. There was something much more relaxing and easygoing about Sage’s off-mission attire. Today she had opted for a grey turtleneck with some fitting slacks, and though it was something Jett would still loosely call business attire, for Sage it felt anything but. The healer was at ease and it showed in the way her fingers lazily typed on the keyboard and her posture. 

When Sage turned around, Jett held her eye contact with her briefly before Sage tilted her head. 

“Does your arm feel a little bit better?” Sage asked easily and Jett rubbed her nape a bit sheepishly.

“About that, I might have been stretching the truth a bit,” Jett muttered and saw the disapproving stare from Sage, although the older woman said nothing. “Do you remember the training session last week? The one where the crates fell over and Phoenix and I had to essentially catch them.”

Sage nodded and walked over, placed the tablet down on a nearby counter. 

“I think it might’ve dislocated something? I popped it back in!” She hurriedly spit out as Sage looked at her with concern. “But it’s been hurting since.”

“Raise your arm for me?”

Jett did as told and Sage hummed, nodding to herself and guiding her arm into many different positions. Some of them ached a bit more than others, but it was nothing if not uncomfortable. 

“You can put your arm down now,” Sage murmured close to Jett and the younger woman did as told, swallowing thickly. “I think it’s probably just a muscle strain at most, but since you haven’t been resting it…”

Jett nodded and listened as Sage spoke to her. She was half listening and half admiring the way Sage moved around the room. Her steps were light and her body never swayed, only leaning onto a counter here and there. Jett almost fell into a trance at just how serene Sage looked; her hair was long even in a ponytail and Jett wanted to reach out and run a hand through it. She was a painting come to life. 

Everything Sage did, she did with grace and perfection, something that Jett admired and envied at the same time. It made her feel a bit insecure with her own efforts--she was not nearly as calm and experienced as Sage--she wasn’t even that much younger than the woman, but it still felt like she was years away from even being comparable to the sentinel.

“Jett?” Sage’s hand gently rested on Jett’s shoulder and she worriedly looked at the woman. She was kind and although at times she seemed aloof, Sage did care about the people she was with. “Are you feeling well?”

“You’re amazing, you know that?” Jett muttered. “It’s not a bad thing--I sound stupid, right? I just mean… You’re great at everything. You even pick up after me. You’re beautiful, you know just what to say in a conversation, you are skilled in everything you do.”

Sage stared at Jett, confused but patient as she pulled her chair over. She sat in it and Jett felt an irrational anger bubble up inside of her. Even now, Sage could be patient and understanding but all Jett could be was jealous and angry.

“I’m always causing trouble, I rush off into fights and you guys are never sure if I’m gonna make it back--I don’t even know if I’m going to make it back.” Jett clenched her firsts. “I don’t even know if I want to make it back--do I really deserve to be a Radiant?” 

She expected a physical exam, not to end up spilling her heart out to a woman that she had only recently been able to even properly hold a conversation with. This same woman had saved her life and still, it took her so long to get the guts to even say sorry to her.

“I heal,” Sage started and Jett felt the silky voice resonate, unclenching her first as she closed her eyes to just listen. “I heal and I defend the team. I put up walls and I make sure our enemies cannot reach us--but I tread where you have already tread.”

Jett furrowed her eyebrows, now squeezing her eyes shut as Sage’s hands cupped hers. 

“I defend us from enemies in terrain we have already battled through--I do nothing spectacular, instead I think it is you who does something brave and spectacular. I’ve never quite met someone who was so skilled that she could rush enemies in places she’s never been. You go in and you adapt so well, you do it so quickly and we are able to move towards our objective because of that.

I watch you from behind, in the safety net that is the rooms and corners you’ve cleared. I heal you when you are tired because I cannot push ahead bravely as you can. I’m good at what I do, sure, but I am not nearly as perfect as you may think.”

Sage squeezed her hand and Jett clenched her jaw, opening her eyes to meet the healer’s warm brown eyes. There was no malice, Sage did not seem to feel defensive at all. Jett looked away.

“You’re not giving yourself enough credit.” She muttered and heard Sage chuckle quietly.

“Just as you are not giving yourself credit at all.” 

“Look, let’s just forget I even said anything--sorry to dump all that out. I got kind of angry at myself--”

“Do you really not wish to come back?” Sage asked quietly and Jett’s mouth clamped shut. “Do you doubt yourself that much that you’d wish to not come back to me safe and sound?”

Jett’s throat closed up and she opened her mouth, but no noise came out. Realization had dawned on her and she wished that she could take back what she had all but dumped onto Sage.

“I do not pick up after you, I do my best to support you from places you do not have time or energy to look from. You cannot watch the front and the back at the same time, so I watch the back. You cannot fight and heal at the same time, so I heal. You are an important part of the team and there’s nothing you have done to prove that you are not valuable. Your life matters and that is why I work so hard to protect it--that is why I was so mad back then.”

Back then--Jett winced and felt guilt overwhelm her. She had apologized for keeping her ails a secret today, but she had never apologized for back then.

“We have always been teammates, and I’d dare call you a friend now. To know that you feel like this hurts--what can I do to help you? I can heal your physical ailments, but to help you with what is going on up here,” Sage gently tapped Jett’s forehead and Jett smiled a bit. “I need you to help me by talking to me.”

“I don’t know--I said all of this on a whim.” Sage opened her mouth to speak, but Jett quickly started before being interrupted. “But, that doesn’t mean I’m--it’s gonna take some time, but I’ll talk to you more often. About this stuff, I mean. And generally, cause we’re friends now right? Yeah.”

Sage smiled and relented, nodding. “Yes, Jett. We are.”

“Thanks, Sage. For not prying, but also for being patient. I know I’m not the best to deal with and this was all abrupt and--”

“You are important, Jett.” Sage stood up, tapping on her tablet quickly before setting it down again. “I will wait until you are ready. For now, let us finish this examination, hmm?”

Jett nodded and smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is meant to be quite simple and to the point. they're at a point where they essentially know nothing about each other outside of jett's word vomit--frankly they don't even know how the other feels about jett's medical emergency. the next chapter will be used to explore their characters more and to kind of close out their open-ended feelings towards the trauma that both of them hold after that incident--among other things.
> 
> p.s. RIOT GIVE ME PROPER LORE WHAT DO YOU MEAN JETT CAUSED ASCENT I THOUGHT SHE WAS A VALORANT AGENT WHAT'S HAPPENING

**Author's Note:**

> this work was started before the launch cinematic was released--so essentially before they dropped the fact that jett caused the events in the ascent map. it'll continue as if i never watched the cinematic :^)
> 
> also, while sage is not directly identified as a doctor, i'd count her as a medic. i wouldn't even say she even does any medical work at base, she just has an office for some little stuff and weekly physicals for her teammates. it's more of her office than a doctor's office.


End file.
